BEAUMONT, Texas — For the next eight games, the Lamar University volleyball team will embark on a challenging road trip with stops in Louisiana and Tennessee.

The road trip begins with the Green Wave Classic Friday-Sunday in New Orleans, La.

LU takes on Tulane, Southern and Louisiana Tech. Tulane comes into its tournament 1-2 overall after competing at the Bearkat Invitational in Huntsville.

The Green Wave dropped a pair of five-set matches to McNeese and Southern Illinois before picking up their first win over Sam Houston State in five sets.

Junior outside hitter Avery Burks, the former 2023 American Conference Freshman of the Year, leads the offense with 64 kills while freshman outside hitter Lauryn Mack is second with 45.

Katherine Crosley, a senior right side / setter, has a team-high 79 assists. Junior setter Zoe Rachow has aided the offense with 69 assists.

Graduate student and middle blocker Sabrina Skyers is one of three players with 10 or more total blocks.

Skyers leads the defense at the net with 16 total blocks while senior setter / right side Ava Derbes has 12 and junior middle blocker Jordan White has 11.

Sophomore defensive specialist / libero Dayla Ortiz not only leads the defense with 49 digs, but she also has a team-high seven service aces.

The Green Wave return 10 upperclassmen to go along with the eight underclassmen.

Tulane wrapped up the 2024 season going 14-14 overall and 6-10 in the American Conference.

The program's last season with a record over .500 was in 2019 with a 22-11 mark. Tulane competed in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship that year.

Head coach Jordana Price is in her fourth season since taking over the program in 2022.
  Southern is off to a 2-1 start after beginning the season at the Betty Austin Invitational in Huntsville, Ala.

The Jaguars notched wins over South Carolina State and Morgan State.

Junior outside hitter Ariana Brown leads the offense with 48 kills, 57 points and seven service aces.

Jordan Felix, a senior setter / opposite, has a team-high 72 assists and 25 digs. She recorded 40 assists in the four-set win over South Carolina State.

Southern finished 11-22 overall last season, making a trip to the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament after posting an 8-8 record.

It marked the programs first trip to the conference tourney since 2021.

The Jaguars return 12 upperclassmen to go along with the eight underclassmen.

Head coach Dawn Barnes enters her second season.
 
Louisiana Tech sports a 2-2 record after recently sweeping Alcorn State on Tuesday.

The Bulldogs began the season at the Southeastern Showdown going 1-2 with a five-set win over Jackson State.

Louisiana Tech returns 10 upperclassmen and seven underclassmen from a team that finished 8-23 overall and 2-16 in Conference USA in 2024.

Senior right-side Jailen Hurley leads the offense with 40 kills while freshman Sydnee Carter has a team-high 65 assists.

Carter is tied for the team lead in service aces with seven alongside senior outside hitter Grace Luevanos.

Head coach Scott Mattera is in his first season at the helm after spending the previous six seasons at NAIA program Our Lady of the Lake where he put together a 113-42 record.
  LU vs. Tulane: 27th meeting … The Cardinals are 16-10 all-time vs. the Green Wave … LU's last win over Tulane came in 2015.

LU vs. Southern: Sixth meeting … The Cardinals lead the series 5-0 all-time … LU won the last meeting in 2022.

LU vs. Louisiana Tech: 31st meeting … The Cardinals lead the series 21-9 all-time … Louisiana Tech won the previous two meetings in 2021 and 2023 … LU's last win came in 2015.
  Maja Malinowska leads the Southland Conference with 54 kills as she averages 3.38 per set. She also leads the conference in points with 64.

Malinowska has 389 career kills, just 11 away from reaching 400.

Gabby Baker ranks second in the Southland Conference with 66 digs.

Daniella Udegbunam and Hailey McEllrath rank second and third in the conference in total blocks, respectively.

Udegbunam has tallied 19 while McEllrath has 14.

McEllrath is also tied for the conference lead in service aces with six.

Alexa Gonzalez sits at 943 career assists, only 57 away from reaching the milestone of 1,000 assists.

As a team, the Cardinals lead the Southland Conference with 248 points, 185 kills, 268 digs, 41 total blocks, 22 service aces and 177 assists.